View full sizeMichael Wayland | The Bay City TimesAbout 75 people gathered Wednesday at the "Government 101 Luncheon, " sponsored by the Energize Bay Area Young Professionals Network, at the Doubletree hotel and conference center, One Wenonah Park Place, Bay City. The keynote speakers were Bay County Chairman Brian Elder and Commission President Christopher Shannon, 1st Ward.
BAY CITY — Networking can be the difference between landing the corner office or working at the corner market.

And to promote networking between young professionals in the Great Lakes Bay Region, area chambers of commerce are backing programs that aim to attract, engage and retain leaders of tomorrow through networking.

Click here, for more information on young professionals groups in the Great Lakes Bay Region.

“This is our way of moving the city forward by really creating the leaders of tomorrow and really helping them get engaged and involved in the community,” said Magen M. Trask, a driving force behind Energize, the young professionals network through the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

This month, Energize celebrates its first anniversary with a membership of about 140. The group does volunteer work, meets at luncheons and congregates at regional social events with other young professional groups.

Trask said a young professional is loosely defined as between the ages of 21 to 40.

“We really wanted to give them kind of a platform to meet together, to mingle and to realize what we can accomplish and what we would like to see the Great Lakes Bay Region become,” said Trask, the economic development specialist for Bay Future Inc.

On May 19, about 75 people attended an Energize luncheon and learned more about local government. The group’s next scheduled event is the River Roar Social, a regional event June 26 with Midland, Saginaw and Mount Pleasant young professional groups.

“I think it goes back to community sustainability,” said Diane Middleton, Midland Chamber of Commerce director of community programs. “Communities all over the place are doing whatever they can to make themselves attractive to young professionals and invest in them, so they will invest in the community.

“We know it’s working — by and large — these are not the usual individuals we are seeing at the chamber events.”

Bay City’s Stacie Hegenauer, who works for Midland-based Wolverine Bank, is one of them.“I work in Midland and live in Bay City and it’s a great way to meet people,” said the 28-year-old, who is a member of MYPros and Energize.

Hegenauer said she tries to attend all regional events that the young professional groups organize.

“The chamber is a mixture of people that have been established for a long time and the young professionals group provides a more relaxed setting for people under 40 that aren’t necessarily established yet that want to go out and meet other young professionals,” she said.

“It gives young professionals an opportunity to chat with CEOs,” said Michelle McManaway, communication support specialist at the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce. “They offer mentorship for young professionals to achieve in the future.”

Saginaw’s young professionals network was formed in January 2009 and has about 200 members, said McManaway.

Young professional groups hope to see their members continue to grow and make the most out of their opportunities.

“In terms of future and where we want to go — it’s being able to keep ahead of the trend,” said Andrew Kornecky, Energize chairman and director of business development for RediMed, a walk-in medical care and occupational medicine business. “But more importantly, just being able to offer them an outlet to turn to, to continue to meet new friends and to network."